138 
Analyses of Books. 
[February, 
Studies on Fermentation , the Diseases of Beer , their Causes, and 
the Means of Preventing them. By L. Pasteur. A Trans- 
lation made with the author’s sanaion, by F. Faulkner and 
D. Constable Robb. London : Macmillan and Co. 
This work is an English version of Pasteur’s well-known 
“ Etudes sur la Bi&rre,” a work whose scope is far wider than its 
title would convey. In addition to a scientific examination ot 
the process of fermentation, in the ordinary sense of the word, 
and to the application of the principles arrived at to the practice 
of brewing, the author surveys all those chemical changes 
whether in dead or living matter— which are due to the operation 
of certain minute organisms. He shows father that this fer- 
mentative charaaer may, under a certain well-defined condition, 
belong to every animal or vegetable cell. 
The question of abiogenesis, or so-called spontaneous genera- 
tion is also touched upon. But in these days there is really very 
little need for Pasteur and Tyndall to demonstrate, by special 
experiments, that where all germs or spores are rigorously ex- 
cluded life fails to manifest itself, even in the most favourable 
medium. Commerce is every day making the experiment on a 
far wider scale, and always with one uniform result. Millions 
of tins of preserved meat, milk, fruits, vegetables, soups, &c., 
are stored up for a length of time, and are conveyed hall round 
the globe. Yet when opened they are invariably found tree trom 
low organisms, save when air has by accident or negligence een 
allowed to penetrate. If it is objected that the temperatures to 
which the contents of such vessels have been subjeaed has ren- 
dered them unfit for the support of baaeria, vibriones, &c., we 
need merely open a tin and expose it to the air, when we shall 
soon find it .swarming. _ ^ , 
Hence we hold that refutations of Dr. Bastian are scarcely 
n6 The work will be of very great value to English brewers, 
though we do not believe that they will be prevailed upon to 
adopt Pasteur’s favourite system of bottom fermentation, nor 
that the British public would thank them if they did. 
